My Word: Top Catholics still blowing smoke on abuse

March 15, 2013|By James J. Peters

I find the relentless coverage of the selection of the new pope to be ridiculous and insulting. The inordinate wealth of the Catholic Church is on display in Rome; if there is a God, I don't think he would be impressed by the opulence or the obstinance.

My main gripe is the despicable manner in which the church hierarchy has handled sex-abuse claims. So many lives have been destroyed by the abusive priests, and so many within the church's power structure, perhaps even including the just-retired pope, mishandled these cases in myriad ways. Failure to file police reports, paying off victims, reassigning abusive priests, covering up and lying to the authorities — the list goes on and on. Indeed, there has been a culture of corruption.

As one who spent his early years attending Catholic mass and Catholic schools, I can attest that the pomp and circumstance of the Catholic Church can be mesmerizing, but it is all style and not much substance. Like so many other former Catholics, I left the church upon the realization that the church had left me.

As an adult, I realized that much of the church's teachings were arcane, discriminatory and impractical. In my own family, a divorce resulted in excommunication. When it comes to gays, there is still the condescending dogma of "love the sinner, hate the sin." The church is unyielding on the topic of birth control, regardless of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (including AIDS).

And just witness the recent proceedings of selecting a new pope: No women were included in the decision-making process.

The Catholic Church has performed countless wonderful, philanthropic acts, espousing the basic tenet of the Bible. Further, certainly an overwhelming majority of those working in the church are decent people trying to do the right thing. I don't criticize practicing Catholics, those who enjoy the church, those who attempt to follow the church's teachings.

My criticism is leveled only at those within the church who have allowed the abuse to continue and attempted to cover it up. Blowing smoke has been the modus operandi for decades. The abuse scandal has not been resolved; it is ongoing.

Once and for all, perpetrators need to be held accountable, guidelines need to be implemented that prevent further abuse, and victims should be respected and compensated. If and when that happens, I will welcome the news coverage.